For your summer fashion fix, look no further than Denver’s local fashion influencers and bloggers. Here at 303 Magazine, we gathered some of the Mile High City’s finest fashion icons for a conversation about summer style. Each influencer shared their favorite seasonal look with us, which embodied their distinctive styles, personalities and fashion philosophies.
Anna Phillips: Colorado’s Color Guru
Anna Phillips is a successful portrait photographer and image consultant from St. Petersburg, Russia. She’s been involved with the fashion industry since she moved to the U.S. ten years ago and has since worked her magic as a color-enthusiast with social media savvy.
“I help business owners and professionals make a specific impression,” Phillips said. “One of my favorite parts of being an image consultant is helping people find their perfect color palette.”
Phillips’ ability to combine colors has extended into her personal style, which she described as classic, modern and simple. Due to her severe scoliosis, she has always been very intentional about what clothes she wears, since not everything will sit straight on her.
Phillips wanted to share her style on social media to visually inspire others. On her Instagram page, you’ll find curated photos of fashion shows, coffee and her timeless outfits. Her use of blue and taupe, her signature colors, also gives her feed a unique personal touch.
“I love motivating people through social media to wear whatever you like,” Phillips said.
As for summer fashion tips, Phillips recommended checking out the latest fashion weeks to see what designers are bringing to the forefront of the industry. She also noted certain trends she’s noticed recently, such as tropical floral prints, ethnic ornaments and creative back designs on tops or dresses.
Koya Nyangi: Advocating for African Fashion
Originally from Kenya, Koya Nyangi has made waves in Denver as an independent fashion public relations professional, as well as an international representative for African fashion brands and designers.
As she ushers in African fashion to a global audience, she encourages her followers with her motto to “be bold, be brave, be different” on her online platform Let Me Show You Different.
“I created Let Me Show You Different because I wanted to share my love of styling, encourage individualism and embrace being different,” Nyangi said. “I want people to be fearless with their fashion.”
For Nyangi’s summer look, she experimented with dimension, structure and texture. Her Afro-Eclectic style is reflected in her outfit, which includes pieces from African brands BOGUK and Adele Dejak. She enjoys giving clothing pieces new meaning by styling them in different ways.
“It helps to maximize your closet and will truly give you a new way of styling your pieces,” Nyangi said.
Shawn Melgar: From Suits to Streetwear
As a full-time YouTuber and world traveler, Shawn Melgar understands what’s trending in popular culture, including fashion. He has lived in England, Texas and now Denver, where he felt encouraged to explore his fashion sense. City life has influenced his style, but his biggest inspiration is his father, who was always ahead of the curve when it came to fashion.
Though Melgar is known for his old-school suits, his summer look embodied the streetwear side of his style, which he described as organic hip hop. His appreciation for accessories is evident in all his looks, but here he chose to amplify his outfit with aviator sunglasses, a vintage watch and a neon green hat. He paired his gray Vans with bandana-printed socks to give the look even more flavor.
“I feel the whole look is somewhat of a Magnum P.I. vibe with a modern hip hop twist,” Melgar said.
Melgar’s biggest suggestion for summer styling is to stick out in an outfit that expresses your individuality and could start a conversation.
“Don’t be a carbon copy of the stranger standing next to you,” Melgar said. “Add an item to each outfit that makes you stand out from the crowd.”
Melgar also recommended keeping items in your closet for reuse rather than getting rid of them each season, reasoning that fashion trends will always cycle back into the popular zeitgeist.
“I think it is absolutely key in fashion, no matter what your style is, to remember that fashion always repeats itself,” Melgar said. “So hold onto your favorite key items when clearing out your closets to give space for new trends.”
Kait Elizabeth Ewoldt: A Master in Maximalism
Kait Elizabeth Ewoldt has taken Denver by storm with her maximalist fashion sense and raw honesty on social media. As a social media coordinator for a non-profit, she uses her creativity and technical skills to make a difference.
Ewoldt’s platform on Instagram stands out as a space for women to have honest conversations while also sharing what sparks their creativity. She addresses the overwhelming pressures women can feel from society about having the perfect career, marriage and family and offers encouragement in the form of fashion.
“My belief is that fashion and mental health are BFFs! How you feel impacts what you wear, and vice versa,” Ewoldt said.
Ewoldt’s style is all about mixing patterns and colors to create funky looks inspired by concepts like dopamine dressing and maximalism. She’s an intuitive dresser, meaning she wears what makes her feel most like herself on any given day.
“One day I may be dressed like a princess and the next, a Scandinavian-style blogger,” Ewoldt said. “My wardrobe ranges from puffy dresses to Star Wars tees to bedazzled jeans to stealing random pieces from my husband’s side of the closet.”
Ewoldt’s eclectic taste is apparent in her favorite summer look, which also reveals what she’s into at the moment. Ruffles, voluminous dresses and crown-like headbands have had a special place in her heart this summer. She also incorporated sentimental pieces throughout her look, including a hand-painted bag by her friend, Meg Delagrange, and a giant ribbon her mother made for her.
Although layering is more common in the colder months, Ewoldt believes it can work in the summer as well. Layering with lighter items, like loose blouses or long-sleeve mesh shirts, can create an interesting dynamic for a summer look without adding to the heat.
“Also, don’t miss out on amazing accessories like socks and detachable collars,” Ewoldt said. “Though they’re seemingly little pieces, they can carry an entire look.”
Samantha Joseph: Fashioning the Career Woman
As a co-founder of Color of Fashion and a working model, Samantha Joseph has created a name for herself in the Denver fashion industry. When she’s not at photoshoots or organizing fashion shows, she is working events at the Clayton Members Club in Cherry Creek.
When Joseph began sharing more about her career and style on social media, she quickly grew recognition on Instagram as a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world. In powerful suits and mini skirts, she always makes a statement on or off camera.
“I’m a sucker for suits,” Joseph said. “Depending on how I style it, I can be sexy or I can be a boss lady ready to take over the world.”
Joseph’s styling tip for the season is to match comfort with creativity for bearing the summer heat.
“It’s good to balance your outfit in the summer,” Joseph said. “I know I usually get cold around my arms at night, so I usually wear long sleeves up top and shorts or a mini skirt on the bottom.”
Joseph’s favorite summer look embodied that balanced silhouette while adding a pop of color to the scene. Each clothing piece was light and breathable while articulating an upscale essence. To tie the look together, she chose to accessorize with Steve Madden platform shoes, a quilted tweed bag and matching gold jewelry.
Judith Boyd: Looking At A Local Legend
A lineup of Denver’s fashion icons wouldn’t be complete without Judith Boyd, a 79-year-old social media creator with impeccable taste and legendary status. Before she became a style blogger in 2010, she was a psychiatric nurse with a specialty in emergency care. Dressing up in the morning helped her feel prepared for the workday ahead, which could be quite intense.
“Choosing my outfits, which always included a hat, was a way to express myself creatively and became a form of meditation as I approached my day,” Boyd said.
Boyd’s summer look is a versatile outfit she plans to wear for years to come. Her artisan-made top from Croatia was the base of her look, which she built off with coordinating accessories. Her jewelry, sunglasses and lavender turban are all vintage pieces. As a former vintage and consignment clothing seller, she has always embraced vintage fashion because of its sustainable implications.
“I’m always wearing pieces from estate sales, consignment shops, thrift shops, vintage shops or pieces that are artisan-made,” Boyd said.
Boyd combats ageism by demonstrating to the public that people of all ages can be an influencer in the fashion realm. Along with the topic of ageism, she also uses social media to create conversations about climate change, human rights, health and the community.
When sharing her style wisdom, Boyd said, “Wear what you love no matter the season. Let it be your form of self-expression, as well as a way to have fun and feel good about yourself.”
All photography by Michael Hameister.
Editor’s Note: Updated on July 25, 2022 to clarify the origins of Anna Phillips’ interest in fashion.